River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-03-24
THE BASILISK.
A STORY OF TODAY.
CHAPTER NNVII.
By CHANCE.


sDector, ''what we think we can do
and what we manage to do, are not
precisely the same affairs. Ii human
ingenuity. combined with human com.
nonsense. can stop the career o.
Piowitz alias Blitz, it VIII be brought
- a close very speedily"
And Mary Fortescue-what Of
her?"
Inspector Rosebush smiled.
Miss Mary Fortescue," he said
''will, if l am not mistaken. be our
bait to catch our fish"
But" l exclaimed. ..you have not
got the bait"
True" he replied; ..but, if the bait
can be procured, the fish shall be
caught. TIL tomorrow morning, at.
say, eleven. he added Then ] shall
be better able to make my meaning
palmer"
took the hint, and after Shaw and
had wished the worthy official good
night. we strolIed up Whitehall. my
be q bursting with conflicting ideas.
INV heart full Of anxiety as To the fate
Of her who was my Ouly thought in
this weary conflict Of crime. Shaw
vas careful not 10 interrupt the silence.
which he evidently knew / was in
capable Of breaking. We had passed
the Grand Hotel, and were approach
iug Chariug Cross ADMINISTRATION.
when a hanson blocked our progress
a, We attempted to cross the street.
The light Of a gas-lamp fell right
across the occupant of the cIb-a
female thickly yelled. Yet, as my eyes
fell upon her, as the hanson went
swiftly on its way, | clutched Shaw BY
the arm. and almost fell on the pave
ment. had recognized her. Il was
tn Basilisk. Few could have known
Miss BeaufOv-I should not myself.
but that she recognized me. 1t was
the quick flash of her magnificent ewes
through the meshes Of the veil, which
revealed to me that this woman In
black was none other than the i'm
perinus mistress Of Hanover Lodge
The attraction may have been mag
uetic. il was certainly effective. | had
time tonotice a black bag with white
band on the roof of the cab before it
was whirled away eastward.
'.What on earth is the matter?'
asked Shaw.
/ could only gasp. "She-the
Basiliskr' as pointed after the fleet
ing hanson.
My dear fellow" replied the doctor
s.yOu are letting your ftHcies run away
with YOU. At the present moment
both the amiable lady (whom you call
the Basilisk) and her excellent father
(our patron) are no doubt safe in the
hands of the police. You have mo-
more seen Miss Bcaufoy than l have
clapped ewes on her parent
u tell You l am not mistaken,
said I almost fiercely; ..that ~ man
was the Ba-ili>k-she can tell me
where 1 can find Mary Fortescue-she
can-"
what you can't do interrupted
Shaw, ..is either to put me ont Of
temper or To make me believe that this
apparitiOn was anything more real
disurdered brain. Come home with
me"
He hailed a cab. into which / some
what sulkilv stepped. for | knew that
I was right and that he was wrong.
shaw increased nv irritation during
the drive by per>i-tcntly whi~tliug the
most vulgar Of mu>ic-hall tunes. When
a mans nerves are disturbed. nothing
CRATES upon his seuSi5ility more than a
popular accompaniment % his woes.
felt / could have strIngled Shaw for
his unmelOdiOus "reminiscences: and
when he piped What cheer, 'Riah2''
as we stopped at the gates of.St.
Bartjmcu>s Home, I iHwarlly re
corded tine fact that medical men are
as c-tIlous to mental suffering, as they
are TO physical pain.
4 = we descended from the vehicle,
the sleepy porter came forward.
Il note for YOU. sir. he said, touch
ing his cap. a. he gave an envelope TO
Shaw. The doctor tore the cover open,
read the misSive, and handed it to me.
while the clock Of a ncighboriug church
chimed three.
This Is what ! read:
"a frirsd tells DR. SHAW that he should
say 70 Mister Coplestoue the way is liar
ritcl, Miss b have gone
"Who lett tbis2'' | asked cXcite,lly.
"A eldcrl female. replied the por-
ter: ..ab0ut hour ago. She rung me
hup. he added with All aggrIeyed eX-
preston.
..The way Is Harritchr' / repeated.
''W hat can that mean?'
1T means" said Shaw, .fhat we
are on the track; it means that yOu
lave friend ut court; IL means that
Ffowftz has attempted to carry of
Mary to Belgium by way Of the Great
Eastern Railway
elbow do YOU know that?' I asked.
..Th,re is a line Of steamers from
Harwich TO Antwerp, ne replied.
"WhO IS your informgnt?'
..It must be Mrs. Hardy" | said. -"
..You cam trust her?'
81 think so. must start at once. "
..NO." said Shaw. await. In the
first place. you can't get to Har-
wich I'LL the morning; in the second,
this mysterious epistle was only left
here an no IT ago; and i'm the third. the
..he Antwerp boat leaves At night.
sand now. I aSked-.1nd now do
vou believe ! saw Miss BCaufoy just
now"
mo" ne said, ..no. lido not. Moth
ing viii convince me-.
As he was speaking. a hanson
dashed by the ratings Of the hospital.
recognized the BAG OH the roof Of the
cab. before I recognized the occupant.
A. before a ga>-lamp east its lis'it on
her face: but this time she wore no
veil. Both of Us saw her plainly,
though She drew her head back. Ii
was Miss Beaufov.
Now" l cried triumphantly, edo
you believe NEE
Yes. said Shaw; .'but explain To
me why Miss Bcaufoy i roaming round
London NJ this time in the moruinS?'
CHAPTER XVIII.
NARROW ESCAPE.
DIR. Shaw had TO use a moral per
suasiOn. which trenched on physical
force. to draw me inside the door Of 81.
Bartimeus's. 50 eager was l to get upon